Highly repairable, non-soldered usb connector

Abstract

Embodiments of a highly-repairable, non-soldered Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector are described. In some non-limiting embodiments, a USB connector assembly comprises: a mounting bracket configured to removably attach to a printed circuit board (PCB); and a plurality of spring contacts disposed at least in part within the mounting bracket, wherein the spring contacts are configured to electrically connect to corresponding ones of a plurality of electrical contact pads of the PCB, and wherein an individual spring contact of the plurality of spring contacts applies a contact force to a corresponding one of the electrical contact pads of the PCB upon assembly of the mounting bracket onto the PCB.

1 . A Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector assembly, comprising:
 a mounting bracket configured to removably attach to a printed circuit board (PCB); and   a plurality of spring contacts disposed at least in part within the mounting bracket, wherein the spring contacts are configured to electrically connect to corresponding ones of a plurality of electrical contact pads of the PCB, and wherein an individual spring contact of the plurality of spring contacts applies a contact force to a corresponding one of the electrical contact pads of the PCB upon assembly of the mounting bracket onto the PCB.   
     
     
         2 . The USB connector assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a host USB connector port coupled to the mounting bracket and configured to accept a peripheral USB connector plug.   
     
     
         3 . The USB connector assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an interposer connector comprising the plurality of spring contacts configured to electrically connect the host USB connector port to the PCB.   
     
     
         4 . The USB connector assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the mounting bracket is further configured to secure the host USB connector port and the interposer to the PCB by compression. 
     
     
         5 . The USB connector assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the host USB connector port is mechanically secured within the mounting bracket. 
     
     
         6 . The USB connector assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the host USB connector port further comprises:
 one or more stopper surfaces within the host USB connector port, in the insertion direction of the peripheral USB connector plug, configured to stop the insertion of the peripheral USB connector plug.   
     
     
         7 . The USB connector assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the mounting bracket further comprises:
 one or more stopper surfaces in the insertion direction of the peripheral USB connector plug configured to contact against the PCB and provide a counter insertion force from the PCB to the USB connector assembly.   
     
     
         8 . The USB connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the USB connector assembly removably attaches to the PCB without the use of any solder joints. 
     
     
         9 . The USB connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket comprises one or more screw holes to allow one or more screws to removably attach the USB connector assembly to the PCB. 
     
     
         10 . The USB connector assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a support bracket configured to removably attach to an opposite side of the PCB than the mounting bracket by the same one or more screws that removably attach the mounting bracket to the PCB.   
     
     
         11 . The USB connector assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a locater component configured to self-register the USB connector assembly on the PCB.   
     
     
         12 . The USB connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spring contacts are configured to conduct at least 240 Watts (W) of power when electrically connected to the corresponding ones of the electrical contact pads of the PCB. 
     
     
         13 . The USB connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spring contacts are configured to communicate greater than 40 Gigabits per second of data transfer when electrically connected to the corresponding ones of the electrical contact pads of the PCB. 
     
     
         14 . A method, comprising:
 obtaining a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a plurality of electrical contact pads on the surface of the PCB for connection to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector;   obtaining a USB connector comprising a plurality of spring contacts to electrically connect to corresponding ones of the plurality of electrical contact pads of the PCB; and   removably attaching the USB connector to the PCB using a fastening component, wherein the plurality of spring contacts of the USB connector electrically connect to corresponding ones of the plurality of electrical contact pads of the PCB, and wherein an individual spring contact of the plurality of spring contacts applies a contact force to a corresponding one of the electrical contact pads of the PCB.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the fastening component comprises a screw, and wherein removably attaching the USB connector to the PCB using the fastening component further comprises:
 tightening the screw to compress the USB connector against the PCB.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 detaching the fastening component;   decoupling the USB connector from the PCB; and   replacing the USB connector without replacing the PCB in response to a fault or failure of the USB connector.   
     
     
         17 . A printed circuit board (PCB), comprising:
 a plurality of electrical contact pads on the surface of the PCB for connection to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector; and   a USB connector removably attached to the PCB, wherein the USB connector comprises a plurality of spring contacts to electrically connect to corresponding ones of the plurality of electrical contact pads, and wherein an individual spring contact of the plurality of spring contacts applies a contact force to a corresponding one of the electrical contact pads.   
     
     
         18 . The PCB of  claim 17 , wherein the USB connector further comprises a host USB connector port configured to accept a peripheral USB connector plug. 
     
     
         19 . The PCB of  claim 17  further comprising one or more screw holes, wherein the USB connector further comprises one or more different screw holes, and wherein the USB connector is removably attached to the PCB using one or more screws that extend through the one or more different screw holes of the USB connector and the one or more screw holes of the PCB. 
     
     
         20 . The PCB of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more screws are removably attached to a support bracket on the opposite side of the PCB than the USB connector.